Including Voltage Reference Element (e.g., Avalanche Diode, So-called "zener Diode" With Breakdown Voltage Greater Than 6 Volts Or With Positive Temperature Coefficient Of Breakdown Voltage) Patents (Class 257/551)
  • Patent number: 11355752
    Abstract: A positive electrode active substance for the non-aqueous secondary battery is provided. The positive electrode active substance includes a metal or a metal compound including the metal element M1 exhibiting a conversion reaction and/or a reverse conversion reaction, and an amorphous metal oxide of the metal element M2. M2 includes at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ti, and Ni.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeto Okada, Ayuko Kitajou
  • Patent number: 10263123
    Abstract: Provided are an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and method of fabricating the same where the ESD device is configured to prevent electrostatic discharge which can be a cause to product failure. More particularly, the ESD device provided includes a Zener diode and a plurality of PN diodes by improving the architecture of an area wherein a Zener diode is configured compared to alternatives, to provide improved functionality when protecting against ESD events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Hyun Kim, Ha Yong Yang, Jeong Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 9693163
    Abstract: A device for controlling the polarity of a microphone of a portable terminal includes: a microphone that includes a current control element that is connected between a first polarity terminal and a second polarity terminal; first and second connection terminals that are connected to the first polarity terminal and the second polarity terminal of the microphone; a control unit that detects the level of at least one of the first and second connection terminals and determines whether the polarity of the microphone has been normally connected; a codec that is connected to a first polarity terminal and a second polarity terminal and codes audio signals; and a polarity adjusting unit that is connected between the first and second connection terminals and the first and second polarity terminals of the codec, and switches the outputs of the first and second connection terminals under the control of the control unit in the case of an abnormal connection, so as to be connected to the codec to align polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9633843
    Abstract: A heterostructure may include a substrate having a first primary surface, a second primary surface, and a diffusion layer extending a depth into the substrate from the first primary surface; and a deposition layer disposed on the second primary surface of the substrate. The heterostructure may further include an epitaxial layer disposed on the deposition layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Global Wafers Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yao-Chung Chang, Chia-Wen Ko, Manhsuan Lin
  • Patent number: 9343556
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for ESD protection circuits. An ESD protection circuit may comprise a lateral silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) circuit and a lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor (BJT) circuit. The SCR circuit comprises a first region on an n type buried layer (NBL), a second region on the NBL, a fourth region formed within the first region, and a fifth region formed within the second region. The PNP circuit comprises the second region on the NBL, a third region on the NBL, and a sixth region formed within the third region. The first region is the 1st N node of the SCR circuit and is connected with the base of the PNP circuit, which is the third region, by the NBL, and the 2nd P node of the SCR circuit is shared with the collector of the PNP circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsi-Yu Kuo, Chi-Kuang Chen
  • Patent number: 9343555
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for ESD protection circuits. An ESD protection circuit may comprise a first region of an n type material, a second region of a p type material adjacent to the first region, a third region of an n type material within the second region and separated from the first region, and a fourth region of a p type material within the third region. There may be multiple parts within the first region and the second region, made of different n type or p type materials. An ESD protection circuit may further comprise a fifth region of a p type material, contained within the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsi-Yu Kuo, Chi-Kuang Chen
  • Patent number: 9224844
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and an insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and contacts the first electrode. The first semiconductor region is provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second electrode, and contacts the second electrode. The second semiconductor region is provided between the first semiconductor region and the second electrode, and contacts the second electrode. An impurity concentration of the second semiconductor region is higher than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor region. An insulating layer has one end contacting the second electrode and the other end positioned in the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsuneo Ogura, Tomoko Matsudai
  • Patent number: 9166037
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device with an electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure includes an N-type semiconductor substrate, at least one ESD device, and at least one trench type transistor device. The N-type semiconductor has at least two trenches, and the ESD device is disposed in the N-type semiconductor substrate between the trenches. The ESD device includes a P-type first doped region, and an N-type second doped region and an N-type third doped region disposed in the P-type first doped region. The N-type second doped region is electrically connected to a gate of the trench type transistor device, and the N-type third doped region is electrically connected to a drain of the trench type transistor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sinopower Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Wei-Chieh Lin
  • Patent number: 9041156
    Abstract: A reference voltage generating circuit has more than two first wells each having a first impurity concentration and more than two second wells each having a second impurity concentration different from the first impurity concentration. A first group of MOS transistors has more than two MOS transistors formed in respective ones of the first wells. A second group of MOS transistors has More than two MOS transistors formed in respective ones of the second wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Hideo Yoshino, Hirofumi Harada, Jun Osanai
  • Patent number: 9024412
    Abstract: A first MOSFET is formed in a first region of a chip, and a second MOSFET is formed in a second region thereof. A first source terminal and a first gate terminal are formed in the first region. In the second region, a second source terminal and a second gate terminal are arranged so as to be aligned substantially parallel to a direction in which the first source terminal and the first gate terminal are aligned. A temperature detection diode is arranged between the first source terminal and the second source terminal. A first terminal and a second terminal of the temperature detection diode are aligned in a first direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the first source terminal and the first gate terminal are aligned or in a second direction substantially perpendicular thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Tonomura, Hideo Ishii, Tsuyoshi Ota
  • Patent number: 8981476
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: first and second n-type wells formed in p-type semiconductor substrate, the second n-type well being deeper than the first n-type well; first and second p-type backgate regions formed in the first and second n-type wells; first and second n-type source regions formed in the first and second p-type backgate regions; first and second n-type drain regions formed in the first and second n-type wells, at positions opposed to the first and second n-type source regions, sandwiching the first and the second p-type backgate regions; and field insulation films formed on the substrate, at positions between the first and second p-type backgate regions and the first and second n-type drain regions; whereby first transistor is formed in the first n-type well, and second transistor is formed in the second n-type well with a higher reverse voltage durability than the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 8975661
    Abstract: An asymmetrical bidirectional protection component formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, including: a first implanted area of the first conductivity type; a first epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type on the substrate and the first implanted area; a second epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type on the first epitaxial layer, the second layer having a doping level different from that of the first layer; a second area of the first conductivity type on the outer surface of the epitaxial layer, opposite to the first area; a first metallization covering the entire lower surface of the substrate; and a second metallization covering the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventor: Benjamin Morillon
  • Patent number: 8878343
    Abstract: A field effect semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a main horizontal surface and a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type arranged between the first semiconductor region and the main horizontal surface, an insulating layer arranged on the main horizontal surface, and a first metallization arranged on the insulating layer. The first and second semiconductor regions form a pn-junction. The semiconductor body further has a deep trench extending from the main horizontal surface vertically below the pn-junction and including a conductive region insulated from the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, and a narrow trench including a polycrystalline semiconductor region extending from the first metallization, through the insulating layer and at least to the conductive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Anton Mauder, Frank Pfirsch, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8878276
    Abstract: A variable-resistance material memory (VRMM) device includes a container conductor disposed over an epitaxial semiconductive prominence that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM device may also include a conductive plug in a recess that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM array may also include a conductive plug in a surrounding recess that is coupled to a VRMM. Apparatuses include the VRMM with one of the diode constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Michael P. Violette
  • Patent number: 8742534
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a lateral diode includes a semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region in the semiconductor layer, a contact region having an impurity concentration greater than that of the first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region located in the semiconductor layer and separated from the contact region, a first electrode electrically connected through the contact region to the first semiconductor region, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes a low impurity concentration portion, a high impurity concentration portion, and an extension portion. The second electrode forms an ohmic contact with the high impurity concentration portion. The extension portion has an impurity concentration greater than that of the low impurity concentration portion and extends in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Yamamoto, Norihito Tokura, Hisato Kato, Akio Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8729605
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device in which on-resistance is largely reduced. In a region (2a) of an N type epitaxial layer (2) of the semiconductor device 20, each region between neighboring trenches (3) is blocked with a depletion layer (14) formed around a trench (3) so that a current passage (12) is interrupted, while a part of the depletion layer (14) formed around the trench (3) is deleted so that the current passage (12) is opened. In a region (2b), a junction portion (8) between the N type epitaxial layer (2) and a P+ type diffusion region (7) makes a Zener diode (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Takaishi
  • Patent number: 8680619
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor substrate, a first gate structure disposed over the substrate, the first gate structure including a first gate electrode of a first conductivity type, a second gate structure disposed over the substrate and proximate the first gate structure, the second gate structure including a second gate electrode of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, a first doped region of the first conductivity type disposed in the substrate, the first doped region including a first lightly doped region aligned with a side of the first gate structure, and a second doped region of the second conductivity type disposed in the substrate, the second doped region including a second lightly doped region aligned with a side of the second gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Compnay, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming Zhu, Lee-Wee Teo, Harry Hak-Lay Chuang
  • Patent number: 8659086
    Abstract: An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protection device is formed in an isolated region of a semiconductor substrate. The ESD protection device may be in the form of a MOS or bipolar transistor or a diode. The isolation structure may include a deep implanted floor layer and one or more implanted wells that laterally surround the isolated region. The isolation structure and ESD protection devices are fabricated using a modular process that includes virtually no thermal processing. Since the ESD device is isolated, two or more ESD devices may be electrically “stacked” on one another such that the trigger voltages of the devices are added together to achieve a higher effective trigger voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Donald Ray Disney, Jun-Wei Chen, Richard K. Williams, HyungSik Ryu, Wai Tien Chan
  • Patent number: 8492866
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Zener diode having a scalable reverse-bias breakdown voltage (Vb) as a function of the position of a cathode contact region relative to the interface between adjacent cathode and anode well regions. Specifically, cathode and anode contact regions are positioned adjacent to corresponding cathode and anode well regions and are further separated by an isolation region. However, while the anode contact region is contained entirely within the anode well region, one end of the cathode contact region extends laterally into the anode well region. The length of this end can be predetermined in order to selectively adjust the Vb of the diode (e.g., increasing the length reduces Vb of the diode and vice versa). Also disclosed are an integrated circuit, incorporating multiple instances of the diode with different reverse-bias breakdown voltages, a method of forming the diode and a design structure for the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick G. Anderson, Natalie B. Feilchenfeld, David L. Harmon, Richard A. Phelps, Yun Shi, Michael J. Zierak
  • Patent number: 8471293
    Abstract: An embodiment of an array of Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes, wherein each photodiode is formed by a body of semiconductor material, having a first conductivity type, housing a first cathode region, of the second conductivity type, and facing a surface of the body, an anode region, having the first conductivity type and a higher doping level than the body, extending inside the body, and facing the surface laterally to the first cathode region and at a distance therefrom, and an insulation region extending through the body and insulating an active area from the rest of the body, the active area housing the first cathode region and the anode region. The insulation region is formed by a mirror region of metal material, a channel-stopper region having the second conductivity type, surrounding the mirror region, and a coating region, of dielectric material, arranged between the mirror region and the channel-stopper region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Delfo Nunziato Sanfilippo, Emilio Antonio Sciacca, Piero Giorgio Fallica, Salvatore Antonio Lombardo
  • Patent number: 8445917
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a silicon carbide layer having a first conductivity type and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and first and second silicon carbide Zener diodes on the silicon carbide layer. Each of the first and second silicon carbide Zener diodes may include a first heavily doped silicon carbide region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type on the silicon carbide layer, and an ohmic contact on the first heavily doped silicon carbide region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Kay Haney, Sei-Hyung Ryu
  • Patent number: 8435853
    Abstract: A method for forming a field effect power semiconductor is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor body, a conductive region arranged next to a main surface of the semiconductor body, and an insulating layer arranged on the main horizontal surface. A narrow trench is etched through the insulating layer to expose the conductive region. A polycrystalline semiconductor layer is deposited and a vertical poly-diode structure is formed. The polycrystalline semiconductor layer has a minimum vertical thickness of at least half of the maximum horizontal extension of the narrow trench. A polycrystalline region which forms at least a part of a vertical poly-diode structure is formed in the narrow trench by maskless back-etching of the polycrystalline semiconductor layer. Further, a semiconductor device with a trench poly-diode is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Anton Mauder, Frank Pfirsch, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8304827
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a diode formed by making use of a DMOS transistor structure. In addition to such a DMOS transistor structure, the semiconductor device includes a second buried layer of the first conductivity type being provided on a first buried layer of a second conductivity type that is in a floating state. Moreover, the second buried layer of the first conductivity type and a second diffusion region of the first conductive type are connected by a first diffusion region of the first conductivity type. A first electrode is set as anode, and a second electrode and a third electrode are short-circuited and set as cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuki Nakamura, Koji Shirai, Hirofumi Nagano, Jun Morioka, Tsubasa Yamada, Kazuaki Yamaura, Yasunori Iwatsu
  • Patent number: 8304856
    Abstract: A serially-connected diode pair made of diodes having a high withstand voltage and a low on-resistance is formed based on a high withstand voltage vertical PNP bipolar transistor process technology. Two of the diode pairs are connected in parallel to form a bridge so that there is formed a high-efficiency full-wave rectifier circuit that is free from a leakage current due to a parasitic transistor. The serially-connected diode pair is formed by connecting a diode composed of a P type semiconductor substrate, that makes an anode, and an N type buried layer, that makes a cathode, and a diode composed of a P+ type conductive layer, that makes an anode, and an N type epitaxial layer, that makes a cathode, in series with an electrode AC1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignees: Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Sanyo Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Keiji Mita, Yasuhiro Tamada, Masao Takahashi, Takao Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8217419
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device in which on-resistance is largely reduced. In a region (2a) of an N type epitaxial layer (2) of the semiconductor device 20, each region between neighboring trenches (3) is blocked with a depletion layer (14) formed around a trench (3) so that a current passage (12) is interrupted, while a part of the depletion layer (14) formed around the trench (3) is deleted so that the current passage (12) is opened. In a region (2b), a junction portion (8) between the N type epitaxial layer (2) and a P+ type diffusion region (7) makes a Zener diode (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Takaishi
  • Patent number: 8217422
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device integrated with a Gate-Source ESD diode for providing an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and a Gate-Drain clamp diode for drain-source avalanche protection. The semiconductor power device further includes a Nitride layer underneath the diodes and a thick oxide layer as an etching stopper layer for protecting a thin oxide layer on top surface of body region from over-etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Force Mos Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8212282
    Abstract: A power supply device is disclosed that is able to satisfy the power requirements of a device in service and has high efficiency. The power supply device includes a first power supply; a voltage step-up unit that steps up an output voltage of the first power supply; a voltage step-down unit that steps down an output voltage of the voltage step-up unit; and a load that is driven to operate by an output voltage of the voltage step-down unit. The voltage step-up unit steps up the output voltage of the first power supply to a lower limit of an operating voltage of the voltage step-down unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ohtsuka, Yoshinori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8164114
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device integrated with a Gate-Source ESD diode for providing an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and a Gate-Drain clamp diode for drain-source avalanche protection. The semiconductor power device further includes a Nitride layer underneath the diodes and a thick oxide layer as an etching stopper layer for protecting a thin oxide layer on top surface of body region from over-etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Force Mos Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8124981
    Abstract: A wide bandgap silicon carbide device has an avalanche control structure formed in an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type above a substrate that is connected to a first electrode of the device. A first region of a second conductivity type is in the upper surface of the epitaxial layer with a connection to a second electrode of the device. A second region of the first conductivity type lies below the first region and has a dopant concentration greater than the dopant concentration in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Gary M. Dolny, Richard L. Woodin, Carl Anthony Witt, Joseph Shovlin
  • Patent number: 8115231
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate, a Zener diode formed above the insulating film, an interlayer film formed above the Zener diode, and a gate aluminum and a source aluminum formed above the interlayer film. The Zener diode is connected between the gate aluminum and the source aluminum. The Zener diode is formed by alternately joining an N type region and a P type region concentrically. The gate electrode includes a gate pad section. A planar shape of the Zener diode is substantially similar to a planer shape of the gate pad section. The gate pad section extends for a predetermined distance from an outermost edge of the P type region of the Zener diode to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohiko Uno, Naoki Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8049306
    Abstract: A high voltage integrated circuit contains a freewheeling diode embedded in a transistor. It further includes a control block controlling a high voltage transistor and a power block—including the high voltage transistor—isolated from the control block by a device isolation region. The high voltage transistor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate, a buried layer of the second conductivity type between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer, a collector region of the second conductivity type on the buried layer, a base region of the first conductivity type on the epitaxial layer, and an emitter region of the second conductivity type formed in the base region. The power block further includes a deep impurity region of the first conductivity type near the collector region to form a PN junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taeg-hyun Kang, Sung-son Yun
  • Patent number: 8044485
    Abstract: A semiconductor device made of a group-III nitride semiconductor having excellent properties is provided. The semiconductor device has a horizontal diode structure of Schottky type or P-N junction type, or combined type thereof having a main conduction pathway in the horizontal direction in a conductive layer with unit anode portions and unit cathode electrodes being integrated adjacently to each other in the horizontal direction. The conductive layer is preferably formed by depositing a group-III nitride layer and generating a two-dimensional electron gas layer on the interface. Forming the conductive layer of the group-III nitride having high breakdown field allows the breakdown voltage to be kept high while the gap between electrodes is narrow, which achieves a semiconductor device having high output current per chip area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Miyoshi, Yoshitaka Kuraoka
  • Patent number: 8039879
    Abstract: A semiconductor has an IGBT active section and a control circuit section for detecting an IGBT abnormal state. A collector region is formed on the back surface side (i.e., on the IGBT collector side) in a selective manner, namely right under the IGBT active section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Ueno
  • Patent number: 8018028
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a cell region, an outer peripheral region, a field plate, an outermost peripheral ring, outer peripheral region layer, an insulator film, and a Zener diode. The semiconductor substrate has a superjunction structure. The outer peripheral region is disposed at an outer periphery of the cell region. The Zener diode is disposed on the insulator film for electrically connecting the field plate with the outermost peripheral ring. The Zener diode has a first conductivity type region and a second conductivity type region that are alternately arranged in a direction from the cell region to the outer peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Miyajima
  • Patent number: 8004009
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device with Zener diode for providing an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and a thick insulation layer to insulate the Zener diode from a doped body region. The semiconductor power device further includes a Nitride layer underneath the thick oxide layer working as a stopper layer for protecting the thin oxide layer and the body region underneath whereby the over-etch damage and punch-through issues in process steps are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Force Mos Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7928533
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode with a nano-scale reach-through structure comprising n-doped and p-doped regions, formed on a silicon island on an insulator, so that the avalanche photodiode may be electrically isolated from other circuitry on other silicon islands on the same silicon chip as the avalanche photodiode. For some embodiments, multiplied holes generated by an avalanche reduces the electric field in the depletion region of the n-doped and p-doped regions to bring about self-quenching of the avalanche photodiode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Xinyu Zheng, Bedabrata Pain, Thomas J. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7923645
    Abstract: A first patterned etch stop layer and a first patterned conductor layer are laminated by a dielectric material to a second patterned etch stop layer and a second patterned conductor layer. As the etch stop metal of the first and second patterned etch stop layers is selectively etchable compared to a conductor metal of the first and second patterned conductor layers, the first and second patterned etch stop layers provide an etch stop for substrate formation etch processes. In this manner, etching of the first and second patterned conductor layers is avoided insuring that impedance is controlled to within tight tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Patrick Huemoeller, Sukianto Rusli, Robert F. Darveaux
  • Patent number: 7902604
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device supported on a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of transistor cells each having a source and a drain with a gate to control an electric current transmitted between the source and the drain. The semiconductor further includes a gate-to-drain (GD) clamp termination connected in series between the gate and the drain further includes a plurality of back-to-back polysilicon diodes connected in series to a silicon diode includes parallel doped columns in the semiconductor substrate wherein the parallel doped columns having a predefined gap. The doped columns further include a U-shaped bend column connect together the ends of parallel doped columns with a deep doped well disposed below and engulfing the U-shaped bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Su, Anup Bhalla, Daniel Ng
  • Patent number: 7863708
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) includes a source electrode for receiving an externally-provided source voltage. The FET further includes an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. A resistive element is coupled to the termination region, wherein upon occurrence of avalanche breakdown in the termination region an avalanche current starts to flow in the termination region, and the resistive element is configured to induce a portion of the avalanche current to flow through the termination region and a remaining portion of the avalanche current to flow through the active region. During operation, one end of the resistive element is biased to the source voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Daniel Calafut
  • Patent number: 7842967
    Abstract: A power supply device is disclosed that is able to satisfy the power requirements of a device in service and has high efficiency. The power supply device includes a first power supply; a voltage step-up unit that steps up an output voltage of the first power supply; a voltage step-down unit that steps down an output voltage of the voltage step-up unit; and a load that is driven to operate by an output voltage of the voltage step-down unit. The voltage step-up unit steps up the output voltage of the first power supply to a lower limit of an operating voltage of the voltage step-down unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ohtsuka, Yoshinori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7834421
    Abstract: Various integrated circuit devices, in particular a diode, are formed inside an isolation structure which includes a floor isolation region and a trench extending from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material or may have a conductive material in a central portion with a dielectric layer lining the walls of the trench. Various techniques for terminating the isolation structure by extending the floor isolation region beyond the trench, using a guard ring, and a forming a drift region are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Disney, Richard K. Williams
  • Publication number: 20100244756
    Abstract: A high voltage integrated circuit contains a freewheeling diode embedded in a transistor. It further includes a control block controlling a high voltage transistor and a power block—including the high voltage transistor—isolated from the control block by a device isolation region. The high voltage transistor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate, a buried layer of the second conductivity type between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer, a collector region of the second conductivity type on the buried layer, a base region of the first conductivity type on the epitaxial layer, and an emitter region of the second conductivity type formed in the base region. The power block further includes a deep impurity region of the first conductivity type near the collector region to form a PN junction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Taeg-hyun Kang, Sung-son Yun
  • Patent number: 7777294
    Abstract: On a semiconductor substrate, a well is formed. In the well, one MOS transistor including a gate electrode, a source region, a source field limiting layer and a source/drain region, and another MOS transistor including a gate electrode, a drain electrode, a drain field limiting layer and a source/drain region are formed. The one and another MOS transistors are connected in series through the source/drain region common to the two transistors. Accordingly, a semiconductor device can be provided in which increase in pattern layout area is suppressed when elements including a high-breakdown voltage MOS transistor are to be connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Taya
  • Patent number: 7732858
    Abstract: A high voltage integrated circuit contains a freewheeling diode embedded in a transistor. It further includes a control block controlling a high voltage transistor and a power block—including the high voltage transistor—isolated from the control block by a device isolation region. The high voltage transistor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate, a buried layer of the second conductivity type between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer, a collector region of the second conductivity type on the buried layer, a base region of the first conductivity type on the epitaxial layer, and an emitter region of the second conductivity type formed in the base region. The power block further includes a deep impurity region of the first conductivity type near the collector region to form a PN junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taeg-hyun Kang, Sung-son Yun
  • Patent number: 7719029
    Abstract: A single-photon avalanche detector is disclosed that is operable at wavelengths greater than 1000 nm and at operating speeds greater than 10 MHz. The single-photon avalanche detector comprises a thin-film resistor and avalanche photodiode that are monolithically integrated such that little or no additional capacitance is associated with the addition of the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Princeton Lightwave, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Allen Itzler
  • Patent number: 7638857
    Abstract: A silicon controlled rectifier structure is provided in a substrate having a first conductive type. A well region formed within the substrate has a second conductive type. A first dopant region formed within the substrate and the well region has the first conductive type. A second dopant region formed within the substrate and a portion of the well region has the second conductive type. A third dopant region formed under the second dopant region has the first conductive type, in which the second and the third regions form a vertical Zener diode. A fourth dopant region formed within the substrate and separated from the second dopant region by a separation structure has the second conductive type. A fifth dopant region is formed within the substrate in a manner that the fourth dopant region is between the isolation structure and the fifth dopant region, and has the first conductive type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Hsin-Yen Hwang, Shu-Hsuan Su, Tien-Hao Tang
  • Patent number: 7626243
    Abstract: An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protection device is formed in an isolated region of a semiconductor substrate. The ESD protection device may be in the form of a MOS or bipolar transistor or a diode. The isolation structure may include a deep implanted floor layer and one or more implanted wells that laterally surround the isolated region. The isolation structure and ESD protection devices are fabricated using a modular process that includes virtually no thermal processing. Since the ESD device is isolated, two or more ESD devices may be electrically “stacked” on one another such that the trigger voltages of the devices are added together to achieve a higher effective trigger voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignees: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc., Advanced Analogic Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Donald Ray Disney, Jun-Wei Chen, Richard K. Williams, HyungSik Ryu, Wai Tien Chan
  • Patent number: 7538367
    Abstract: The present invention provides an avalanche photodiode capable of raising productivity. An n-type InP buffer layer, an n-type GaInAs light absorption layer, an n-type GaInAsP transition layer, an n-type InP electric field adjusting layer, an n-type InP avalanche intensifying layer, an n-type AlInAs window layer and a p-type GaInAs contact layer are grown in order on an n-type InP substrate. Next, Be is ion-injected into an annular area along the outer periphery of a light receiving area which is activated by heat treatment so as to form an inclined joint, to obtain a p-type peripheral area for preventing an edge break down. Further, Zn is selectively diffused thermally into the light receiving area until it reaches the n-type InP avalanche intensifying layer so as to form a p-type conductive area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Yagyu, Eitaro Ishimura, Masaharu Nakaji
  • Patent number: 7521773
    Abstract: A field effect transistor includes an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. A resistive element is coupled to the termination region, wherein upon occurrence of avalanche breakdown in the termination region an avalanche current starts to flow in the termination region, and the resistive element is configured to induce a portion of the avalanche current to flow through the termination region and a remaining portion of the avalanche current to flow through the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Daniel Calafut
  • Patent number: 7511357
    Abstract: A MOSFET device that includes a first Zener diode connected between a gate metal and a drain metal of said semiconductor power device for functioning as a gate-drain (GD) clamp diode. The GD clamp diode includes multiple back-to-back doped regions in a polysilicon layer doped with dopant ions of a first conductivity type next to a second conductivity type disposed on an insulation layer above the MOSFET device, having an avalanche voltage lower than a source/drain avalanche voltage of the MOSFET device wherein the Zener diode is insulated from a doped region of the MOSFET device for preventing a channeling effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Force-MOS Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Fwu-Iuan Hshieh